The Sorrow's Furnace
by Temisar
Summary: Braylin Virelai and Euyen Eri are nearly exactly alike: calm, cool, and collected. There is but one problem though: they hate each other...on the surface.


The Ascalon market was buzzing; the shouts of the material traders carried on the wind. The constant buzz of people selling, buying, teaming, meeting, and more of who-knows-what seemed like enough to wake up half the world. Through all this one would think the crunch of dirt would be soundless, but for a few it rang loudly in their ears.

A lone ranger stood at the gate of Ascalon, looking down on the market. She shouldered her bow and removed her hunter's mask. The stalker beside her whined and her eyes shifted down to it. The ranger smiled; the pet had never been anywhere near a market quite as noisy as this, she always waited outside.

The beads at the end of her red braids jingled as the ranger leaned down to scratch behind the stalkers ears. "Oh Shryia, it's not that bad. Just a little noisy, that's all."

The massive cat let out a cry and bound down the steps after her master. She hunched down as she followed her master into the crowd of people, slinking around legs and feet. A heel caught her side and the cat let out a cry. For the first time since she had left the shrine she called home, Shryia was tempted to sink her fangs into human flesh.

"Shryia--" the warning tone of her master reached the cat's ears. The cat looked up into her master's face and despite the tone, her master's eyes twinkled with amusement. The ranger smirked at her pet's look of innocence and turned, renewing her movement through the crowd. It was way too crowded, seeing as how the only way to could move was by turning sideways.

Sending up a prayer of thanks to Melandru as she reached the storage unit, the ranger looked over the market again. Her sharp eyes completely passed up the dye and material traders in the market front. She saw nothing of importance near the arena and the alcove to her left held nothing of need. Amber eyes reached the Warmaster.

"There she is," the ranger grinned. "Come on Shryia." The cat backed away from her master, slowly shaking her head. The ranger laughed. "The crowd's not that bad…ok, yes it is, but you can either stay here or get a treat." The cat growled and started walking back into the crowd with her master following, grinning widely.

The gladiator sighed, wishing Warmaster Grast would finish his very long, very boring story. Her eyes caught a very familiar ranger coming towards them and instantly cheered up. "Hey, Grast, buddy," she cooed, clasping his armored shoulder. "I'd love to hear the end but it looks like someone needs me." She said and moved around the Warmaster, trying hard not to run to the ranger.

"Well if it isn't Sena Aveen." The ranger grinned as she reached the gladiator. She reached out and tugged on the gladiators red braids. "Still haven't given up the hair, I see."

"Not at all cousin, I like my hair." She said with a smirk, removing the hand tugging on her scalp. "The infamous Braylin Virelai in Ascalon, shocking,"

"I'll have you know I'm not infamous---just legendary." The grin gracing her features widened as her cousin laughed and hearty laugh at that.

* * *

Euyen watched his sister viewing the dyes. Rylon had always wanted to stick by him. She'd become a necromancer just to do so. He chuckled as she pocketed some purple dye with the aid of her magic.

Purple. She loved purple. It matched her catching eyes.

_'Ah, her eyes,'_ he thought. They were eyes that could glimpse you and know your every sin. She turned and looked at him, her damned eyes sparkling. Oh yes, she knew his sin. Rylon played on that sin sometimes; setting his blood afire with her own sinful touch.

His eyes shifted as a laugh rang out above the noise. The origin of it was by that War Master Grast. Fair skin and flaming red braids; beside her stood a shorter, darker version of the dream.

"I see you've spotted Sena Aveen and her cousin. Her name escapes me." His sister's voice breathed against his ear.

"Such a pity." He whispered attempting to catch the lips brushing his own.

"You're better off without her, dear brother. I can give you all you need." Rylon whispered in his ear. Her hand slid down his front and her tongue flicked his ear.

Euyen smirked. "Is that a promise?"

Her lips closed around his earlobe, gently sucking. "Would you like it to be?" she whispered before she bit down. Euyen moaned. "Let us go over and introduce ourselves, hmm?"

"You're a cruel one, Rylon Eri." He growled when she pulled away.

She turned and smirked at him. "Oh how I try, dear brother, oh how I try."

* * *

Braylin Virelai scratched her pet's head as she sat upon a ledge over-looking a giant crystal sprouting from the ground. Her cousin sat next to her, saying nothing. They often did this when they were together. Both remembered the time when Ascalon meadows were lush green grass, not dirt and crystals. Braylin's trained and sharpened eyes swept across the land below, her eyes coming to rest upon the dried up river bed. There, she remembered, she and Sena would play as children; the river scales more than happy to join in with water fights.

She ruffled the big cat's ears before shifting and standing. "All right, Sena, I think it's time I got moving. Shall I plan to work my way back in the next twelve moons?" she questioned the Gladiator, placing a gentle hand on her head.

"I suppose." The Gladiator sighed. "Must you wander like this, cousin?" The Ranger stiffened as she picked up the crunch of dirt beneath boots all too late.

"She mustn't do anything; it's all just part of the front, isn't it? Foolish, mortal ranger." A raspy, yet clearly feminine voice came from behind them. Braylin's face set itself in stone as she took sight of the owner; a female necromancer, beside her stood a male necromancer.

Shryia felt her master's shift in posture and bolted in front of the ranger at the sight of the two strangers. The massive cat growled and crouched, preparing to pounce, when she heard her master's calm, quiet, shushing. Reluctantly she backed off as ordered.

"My pet doesn't like you much, Necromancer, and neither do I. Make your business and move along." Braylin said stiffly, only to have laughter returned to her face. Her amber eyes locked with purple ones, effectively silencing the laughter. "Seeing eyes won't get you much from me, girl. I am not afraid of my secrets, much less my sins."

"Braylin," Sena spoke up, her hand coming to rest lightly on her arm. "This is Rylon Eri, an old friend of mine from before the Searing. And that, is her brother: Euyen Eri." Upon his name the man inclined his head. "They are accompanying me for a while."

"Maybe I will then too." She said after a moment.

"Where were you headed?" Euyen finally spoke. Braylin turned to him, really noticing him for the first time. He had deep dark eyes, almost black, and his dark hair fell over one eye, the purple dye clearly fading. Beneath his hair the formal scar of the Necromancer was barely visible.

She smirked at him, fingering her bow and reaching down to scratch Shryia's ear.

"The Sorrow's Furnace."


End file.
